diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks.go
index 6e51369f..8a96d9c3 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks.go
@@ -14,8 +14,12 @@ package main
 //   - `bound_seconds`: twice the largest delivery budget among its deliveries, or 900 when none has one (§5),
 //     on `started`; missing, 900 is taken;
 //   - `budget_class`: `core`, `leaf` or `none`;
-//   - `at` when the controller gives it, else the plan's `updated`: when it happened. A start older than its
-//     bound is history and opens nothing; an end older than FreshFor with nothing held closes quietly.
+//   - `started_at` on the start and `ended_at` on the end (else `at`, else the plan's `updated`): when it
+//     happened. A start older than its bound is history and opens nothing; an end older than FreshFor with
+//     nothing held closes quietly.
+//
+// A touch may name `carried` beside `modules` (what a moved tool runner or node-engine carries); the
+// controller lists those in `modules` too, which is what is read.
 //
 // An event of its own named `walk`, with the same body, is read the same way, should the controller say it
 // there instead.
@@ -87,6 +91,9 @@ type WalkEvent struct {
 	Touches      []Touch
 	BoundSeconds int
 	At           time.Time
+	// StartedAt is the walk's own start, on both events (`started_at`): the bound runs from it, so a router
+	// that hears a start late, or starts again, ends the hold on time.
+	StartedAt time.Time
 }
 
 // HeldMessage is one message a walk holds: when it was first held and what was to be said.
@@ -220,7 +227,16 @@ func DecodeWalk(body []byte) (WalkEvent, bool, error) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	for _, n := range []string{"at", "updated"} {
+	if s := str("started_at"); s != "" {
+		if t, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, s); err == nil {
+			ev.StartedAt = t
+		}
+	}
+	when := []string{"started_at", "at", "updated"}
+	if ev.Phase == WalkEnded {
+		when = []string{"ended_at", "at", "updated"}
+	}
+	for _, n := range when {
 		if s := str(n); s != "" {
 			if t, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, s); err == nil {
 				ev.At = t
@@ -297,6 +313,9 @@ func (h *Holder) Walked(ev WalkEvent) {
 		if w != nil {
 			delete(h.walks, ev.Walk)
 			w.Touches = mergeTouches(w.Touches, ev.Touches)
+			if !ev.StartedAt.IsZero() {
+				w.Started = ev.StartedAt
+			}
 		}
 		h.mu.Unlock()
 		if w == nil {
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks_test.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks_test.go
index 5d6b9f86..2208a75c 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks_test.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/walks_test.go
@@ -10,11 +10,16 @@ import (
 // The tests of novox/hq ADR 0308 "How it is checked" §2–§6, with the controller's walk events given by a fake
 // source: the body the controller's plan-moved carries at a walk's start and end (ADR 0308 §1).
 
-// walkBody is a plan-moved body as the controller says a walk's start or end.
+// walkBody is a plan-moved body as the controller says a walk's start or end (mesh-controller pull request 247).
 func walkBody(t *testing.T, id, phase, outcome string, at time.Time, bound int, touches ...Touch) []byte {
 	t.Helper()
 	b := map[string]any{"id": id, "state": "walking", "walk": id, "phase": phase, "touches": touches,
 		"updated": at.Format(time.RFC3339Nano), "budget_class": "leaf"}
+	if phase == WalkStarted {
+		b["started_at"] = at.Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
+	} else {
+		b["ended_at"] = at.Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
+	}
 	if outcome != "" {
 		b["outcome"] = outcome
 	}
@@ -413,6 +418,13 @@ func TestTheWalkEventsAreReadAsTheControllerSaysThem(t *testing.T) {
 		len(ev.Touches) != 1 || ev.Touches[0].Machine != "novox" || len(ev.Touches[0].Modules) != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("%+v %v %v", ev, ok, err)
 	}
+	// As mesh-controller's walk events (its pull request 247) say an end: ended_at, and carried beside modules.
+	end, ok, err := DecodeWalk([]byte(`{"id":"plan-1","walk":"plan-1","phase":"ended","outcome":"stopped",` +
+		`"touches":[{"machine":"novox","modules":["node-tools","messenger"],"carried":["messenger"]}],` +
+		`"started_at":"2026-10-12T11:12:00Z","ended_at":"2026-10-12T11:19:00Z","updated":"2026-10-12T11:19:01Z"}`))
+	if err != nil || !ok || end.Outcome != WalkStopped || !end.At.Equal(at.Add(7*time.Minute)) || len(end.Touches[0].Modules) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("%+v %v %v", end, ok, err)
+	}
 	if _, ok, err := DecodeWalk([]byte(`{"id":"plan-1","state":"walking","tier":1}`)); ok || err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("a move inside a walk read as its start or end: %v %v", ok, err)
 	}